How to Cook the Perfect Steak

Originally published on April 3, 2015

We’re big meat eaters around here, so I’ve cooked a fair amount of steaks in my lifetime. It’s something that can be quite daunting at first, if only because you’ve paid so much money for this one piece of meat and you really don’t want to screw it up. I’ve been there and I get it. Unfortunately, it’s something that’s quite easy to do because steaks can go from blue-rare to well-done in just a matter of minutes. Not to mention that if you don’t treat it properly before and after you cook it, this could also ruin that tender cut you were hoping to enjoy. So, here are some tips on how to cook the perfect steak so the next time you’re staring one down, there will be no intimidation. Just fearless ambition that you in fact, can do this.

The Marinade/Rub

  • Whether you use a wet marinade or a dry rub will depend entirely on the kind of steak you’re cooking. Tougher cuts of steak such as flank steak or round steak respond best to wet marinades because the marinade will break down the fibres of the meat over a period of time, actually making it more tender. The best cuts of steak including strip loin, sirloin, and filets should never be used with a wet marinade. These cuts are already very tender and leaving them in a marinade will greatly affect their texture. For these types of steaks, a dry rub comprised of different spices will give you the flavour you want, without interfering with the steak’s natural texture.

The Pan

  • Steaks cook best in a pan, not on a barbecue or outdoor grill. While I myself am looking forward to summer when I can, at least once, throw some steaks on the grill, they won’t develop the outside char that makes a steak perfect. They will however, still be juicy and delicious.
  • Use a cast iron or other heavy-bottomed skillet for your steak. These will get incredibly hot, allowing that outer charred crust to form.
  • Make sure your pan is big enough. If you go cramming six steaks into a pan that was only meant to hold three or four, you’re going to have real problems. Your steak will never develop colour and instead, you’ll be left with a sad-looking grey piece of meat that you just don’t know what to do with. If your pan is not big enough, just cook the steak in batches. They cook very quickly, so you can prepare the others while the cooked steaks are resting.

The Oil

  • An oil with a “high smoke point” are the only ones that should be used. This means that they can reach a very high temperature before burning and starting to smoke. Avocado oil, grape seed oil, and almond oil all have very high smoke points. While olive oil can be used, you must keep an eye on your steak to make sure they’re not burning during cooking.
  • Never use butter. While you might think it will give you better flavour, butter has one of the lowest smoke points of all the fats and will burn very, very quickly. Before you even have both sides of your steak cooked, at least one of them will be burned. Not charred, but burned.
  • Know how to use butter. Did I say “never use butter”? Well, you can use it, just not as your main oil. When the steak has cooked on one side, flip it. While the other side of the steak is cooking, place a nob of butter to the side of the pan and place some thyme or rosemary twigs on top. Let the butter melt and then, tilting the pan so you can scoop up the flavoured butter with a spoon, use that butter to baste the steak during the remainder of the cooking process. This will give extra flavour and that perfect sheen to your steaks. You can also, once your steak is done cooking, add a nob of butter right on top of the steak. It will melt and coat the steak with that perfect smoothness and creaminess that only butter can bring.
  • Oil the pan, not the steak. Some cooks insist on slathering their steak with oil and then adding it directly into a dry, hot pan. This can make cooking steak even trickier because, if you wait too long to place the steak in the pan, the oil will settle into the steak, giving it a greasy look and feel even after it’s done cooking. Your best (and easiest) bet is to add a tablespoon or two of oil into the pan, let it get really hot, and then add the steak.

The Seasoning

  • While you can get crazy with the different seasonings and rubs for your steak, just a little salt and pepper are all that’s really needed. But, because certain types of steak can be very thick, just sprinkling a little bit on usually isn’t enough to get the flavour throughout. Instead, mix together a bit of salt and pepper on a plate. Then, minutes before your steak is to be cooked, simply press it into the seasoning, on all sides, before adding it to the hot oiled pan. This will allow the seasoning to really penetrate the steak, giving you more flavour.

The Temperature

  • Perhaps the biggest part of cooking any steak is to get the centre temperature right – the temperature (and colour) in the centre of the steak. These temperatures are known as: blue-rare, rare, medium rare, medium, medium-well, and well-done.
  • Blue-rare is when the steak hasn’t really been cooked that long at all, typically thrown into the pan letting one side cook for a minute or two, and then flipping it and giving the second side just a minute or slightly longer. When finished “cooking”, these steak will have a very bloody, almost purple in the centre and, true to its name, could still be blue in some parts. The temperature in the centre of these steaks is 120 degrees Fahrenheit or lower.
  • Rare steaks are cooked throughout but still have a deep red appearance in the centre. They will release a lot of juice even when on the plate and have a cool centre. Rare steaks have a centre temperature of 120 to 125 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Medium-rare steaks are considered to be “the best” among chefs in the culinary world. These steaks will have a bright pink (but not red) colour throughout and will still be slightly warm in the centre. They will also have juices that will flow out of the steak, but not nearly as much as rare or blue-rare steaks. The temperature for medium-rare steaks is 130 to 135 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Medium steaks are mostly grey throughout, although they will have a slight pink tinge to them. Their centre will be warm. Medium steaks have a centre temperature of 140 to 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Medium-well steaks are entirely grey throughout, are hot in the centre, and will not release any juices. The temperature on these steaks is 150 to 155 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Well-done steaks are hot and grey throughout, and are the hottest temperature you can take your steak to, being above 160 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s important to know that you shouldn’t go much higher than that temperature because it will dry the steak out. Even well-done steaks should be flavourful and juicy, and still have some texture to them.
  • The best way to check the temperature of a steak is with a meat thermometer, especially if you’re fairly new to the process. But, even with a temperature, you should be mindful of “feeling” for the doneness of your steak with the tip of your finger and the skin on your palm. The test is done this way: open your palm so that it’s facing you and make sure your hand is relaxed. Press on the little ball of flesh just under your thumb. This is what rare meat feels like. Now, bring your index finger and thumb together and once again press on that area of flesh; this is what medium-rare steak should feel like when you poke and prod it. Release your index finger and thumb and now bring your middle finger and thumb together, once again feeling that area under your thumb when you do; this is what medium feels like. When you join your ring finger and your thumb you’ll get the feeling for medium-well and when you join your pinky and thumb together, you’ll feel that that little ball of flesh is very tight and has very little ability to “bounce back” or “spring” to the touch. This is what well-done steak feels like. Now you can poke your steak in the centre, compare it with how that little area under your thumb felt, and get an idea for how done your steak is.
  • Practice using the finger test every time you cook a steak. It takes a lot of practice (who am I kidding? It takes a ton of frustrating attempts before you finally get the “feel” for it) but over time, you’ll get it. You should also use a meat thermometer while still using the hand method, as it will give you an idea for how the hand should feel when steak is at a certain temperature.
  • Never, ever, ever cut a steak open just to check the doneness inside. All of the juices will flow out leaving you with a tough, flavourless piece of meat that up until this point, you’ve worked so hard to attain.

The Resting Period

  • Allowing the steak to rest after cooking is an essential component to cooking any piece of meat, but it all started with the steak. Resting allows the juices to work their way back into the meat and settle there, so they don’t end up all over your cutting board or plate. It’s true that even a rare steak can look well-done by the time it gets to the table if you’ve taken it directly out of the pan and sliced it up right away. Cover it with foil to keep it hot, and let it rest. It needs it.
  • Steaks need to rest for a minimum of five minutes. Without foil they’ll stay hot for up to ten minutes and with foil, even longer than that.

Somen Noodles with Chicken in a Peanut Sauce

Originally published on April 10, 2015

I get so excited when I’m at the grocery store and see something that I’ve never seen before. Often this happens in the ethnic foods aisle and usually that excitement is quickly squashed by seeing that the item I’m looking at includes a great amount of shellfish or worse, some unidentified fish that I can’t take my chances with. But after seeing somen noodles beside the soba noodles I had just put in my cart, my excitement could fly with abandon. Especially when I got them home and made this dish that’s somewhat of a cross between a stir fry and a satay. 

Ingredients:

8 ounces dry somen noodles
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons crunchy or smooth peanut butter
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 pound cooked chicken, diced
1/4 cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup green onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

1.) Cook noodles according to package directions. When finished cooking, drain and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process.

2.) Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, combine the chicken broth, soy sauce, peanut butter, sesame oil, and hot sauce. Whisk until blended and set pan over medium heat. Whisk until blended and set pan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes.

3.) In another large skillet, heat peanut oil. Add ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and saute for 2 minutes. Add chicken and saute for 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of the peanut sauce and simmer for a minute or two. Add the drained noodles and stir and toss to fully combine.

4.) Divide the mixture between four plates and top with a handful each of peanuts, scallions, and chopped parsley.

5.) Serve and enjoy!

Mushroom Cheddar Bacon Burger

Originally published on April 11, 2015

Sometimes I post things on the site, not because they’re such creative recipes, but because sometimes we just need a reminder of all the many good things that are out there to make for dinner. I know that too often I’ve stared down chicken breasts or ground meat wondering what to do with them before I end up making the same old thing. Then after I’ve eaten it, I remember “Oh yeah, I should have done this with it,”or “I should have done that!” It’s the same thing with this hamburger recipe. No, I’m certainly not the first to pile on a heaping mound of sauteed mushrooms, melted cheese and crispy bacon. And maybe when you’re staring down some ground meat, hamburgers will come to mind – perhaps even with all of your favourite toppings. But just in case they don’t, and you are also tempted to make the same old thing, this is your friendly reminder that you don’t have to.

Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano 
1 tablespoon garlic powder 
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 cup Cheddar cheese, grated
4 slices bacon
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
4 hamburger buns
Salt 
Pepper 

Directions:

1.) Place the ground beef in a large bowl with the Worcestershire sauce, egg, basil, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, about 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Mix all the ingredients well but do not over-mix. Divide the mixture into 4 equal parts and then form each part into a hamburger patty.

2.) When all of the hamburgers have been formed, heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the hamburger patties and cook for about 7 minutes, until the patty is nicely seared on one side. Flip, cover with a lid or aluminum foil, and cook for another 7 minutes.

3.) Remove lid and move all patties as far to the side as you can. Evenly distribute the cheese among the hamburgers and let melt while cooking the other toppings.

4.) In another corner of the pan, heat one tablespoon of vegetable oil and add sliced mushrooms. Turn in the oil and saute until mushrooms are evenly browned.

5.) While the hamburgers and mushrooms are cooking, cut each bacon slice in half and add to the other portion of the pan. You can use a different pan if your skillet isn’t big enough to fit everything, but I still like to cut the bacon slices in half so that they fit better on the patty. Cook bacon for 10 minutes or so, turning occasionally, until bacon is crisp.

6.) Divide the hamburgers among the bottom of four hamburger buns and top with the sliced mushrooms and bacon. Top with lettuce, tomato, onion, and other toppings of your choice and close with the top of the bun.

7.) Serve and enjoy!

Chinese Five Spice Powder

Originally published on April 21, 2015

Chinese five spice is a spice blend created in China that tries to encapsulate the five tastes: spicy, sweet, sour, bitter, and salty. This blend is then used for a number of different dishes including stews, fish, chicken, and pork. Households in China typically make their own blends, making each one distinct and making each dish unique to that home. I suggest that you do the same and take a pass on the pre-mixed blends that you’ll find in supermarkets and just make your own. It’ll taste fresher, more unique to your household, and you’ll know exactly what went into it. This recipe will give you about a cup of the blend. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature and it’ll keep for several months.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cloves 
2 1/2 tablespoons ground and toasted fennel seed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground and toasted szechuan peppers

Directions:

1.) Place all ingredients into a bowl or container and stir or shake to mix.

BBQ Asian Pork Roast

Originally published on April 21, 2015

Last week we pulled out the barbecue, cleaned it inside and out and fired it up for the first time this season. And what’s the first thing we cooked on it? Pork roast, naturally. During the coming summer months, don’t deprive yourself of roasts just because you don’t want to heat up your house by turning the oven on. And don’t think you always have to make slow cooker roasts either. Using indirect heat on the barbecue, you can get some of the most succulent, juiciest roasts that also have that smoky flavour that can make them some of the best roasts you’ve ever had. That’s certainly what I found out when making this BBQ Asian Pork Roast.

Ingredients:

1 boneless pork loin roast, about 4 pounds 
Zest and juice of 4 mandarin oranges 
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced 
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced 
1 tablespoon Chinese five spice powder 
1 teaspoon chile paste
1 teaspoon sesame oil 

Directions:

1.) In a bowl combine the mandarin zest and juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, olive oil, garlic, ginger, Chinese five spice powder, chile paste, and sesame oil.

2.) Place the pork roast in a glass casserole dish and pour the marinade over top. Turn to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 2 – 24 hours.

3.) Turn both sides of a gas grill to low heat, grease the rack with olive oil, and close the lid to let the grill preheat. When ready, turn off one side of the burner. On this side, place the pork roast. Brush with the reserved marinade and continue to brush and baste every 10 minutes for the first 30 minutes of cooking time.

4.) Continue cooking the pork roast for another hour and 10 minutes, until the roast is about 145 degrees in the centre for a medium roast. If you like a hotter temperature, cook the roast until desired doneness.

5.) When finished cooking, remove the roast from the grill, cover and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Maple Marinated Chicken Kabobs

Originally published on April 27, 2015

There is little that is more Canadian than maple syrup. The real stuff, that is. I’m lucky enough to live in the “Maple Syrup Capital of Ontario” and even luckier to know someone that makes their own, which is what I used when making these Maple Marinated Chicken Kabobs. This past weekend saw the annual “Festival of the Maples” event and this Canadian gold was running freely just about everywhere; as was all the information you could ever want about the stuff. Here are the facts about maple syrup I found most interesting:

  • The First Nations people in North America were the first to make maple syrup, long before the Europeans brought some over. Legend has it that the discovery of maple syrup came after a bucket had been left under a tree on a Chief’s property one evening. Overnight sap collected in the bucket and, when the Chief’s wife saw it the next day, she thought it was water and used it to boil meat in for supper. The sap turned to syrup and the flavour delighted the Chief so much, maple syrup production begun and hasn’t stopped since.
  • The First Nations people also made maple sugar due to the fact that it lasted much longer and was easier to carry when traveling.
  • Maple syrup production farms are called “sugarhouses” or “sugarbushes” today. This too, is part of the original sap production that started in North America. When the Native people made maple sugar rather than maple syrup, they did so in an outdoor building that didn’t require refrigeration. These buildings were called “sugarhouses” and the name has stuck.
  • Maple syrup and maple sugar are the only two foods that are produced from sap.
  • Maple syrup is the first agricultural crop of the calendar year – which means we can start to get excited for all the others that are soon to come!
  • Maple syrup is sold in four different colours. In Canada those are: Extra Light (AA), Light (A), Medium (B), Amber, and Dark. The darker the colour, the more flavourful the syrup, although the sugar content remains the same among all types. Early on in the season when the trees first start producing the sap that can be turned to syrup, the maple syrup will be lighter in colour and it will darken as the season continues.
  • Maple syrup season is relatively short, lasting only about four to eight weeks. While maple trees will produce sap during the off-season, it’s not sap suitable to be turned into syrup.
  • You cannot freeze maple syrup.
  • Producing maple syrup is extremely labour-intensive. Maple trees need to be about 30 to 40 years of age to produce the syrup, and one tree will only produce about 5 to 15 gallons of sap per season. Given that it takes about 40 gallons of sap to make 1 gallon of maple syrup, it could take up to 8 trees to produce 1 gallon in just one season. That means farms need a lot of trees, and each of those need to be tapped before the sap can be collected, then filtered, then boiled. If you want to produce maple syrup, you better be pretty serious about it.
  • The “International Maple Syrup Institute” was founded in 1975 and they continually work “to promote and protect pure maple syrup and other maple syrup products”. Their meetings are typically held outdoors and include a very big griddle on which many pancakes are made before being doused with maple syrup.
  • But maple syrup is good for more than just pancakes. It can also be used in many recipes, including the one below.

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ cubes
1 green pepper, seeds and ribs removed and cut into chunks
1 red pepper, seeds and ribs removed and cut into chunks
1 onion, peeled and cut into chunks 
3 tablespoons real maple syrup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) Soak bamboo skewers in water for at least 2 hours, or save yourself the trouble and use stainless steel skewers that won’t burn up on the grill.

2.) About an hour before cooking time, start making the skewers. Skewer first the chicken, then a couple of pepper pieces, then the onion. Repeat with the remaining chicken, pepper, and onion pieces until all the skewers are full and place skewers in a 9″ x 13″ casserole dish.

3.) Place the soy sauce, white wine, water, maple syrup, white vinegar, ginger, and garlic cloves in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes before setting aside to cool slightly. Pour this mixture over the chicken skewers and place the casserole dish in the fridge for half an hour.

4.) When ready to start cooking, heat an outdoor grill to medium heat. Remove skewers from fridge and drizzle olive oil over top of each. When grill is hot, place chicken skewers on and cook for about 5 minutes on each side. Throughout cooking time, brush on remaining marinade, turn the skewers, and keep lid closed as much as possible.

5.) Turn grill off, remove skewers, and let rest for about 5 minutes.

6.) Serve and enjoy!

Dirty Rice with Sausage

Originally published on May 8, 2015

Dirty rice is a Creole dish that along with green bell peppers, onions, and celery, also traditionally includes chicken livers. Being fresh out of organ meat but having plenty of Italian sausage in my fridge, I decided to go this route instead. This was also the first foray into dirty rice for me and the girls, so I wanted to make sure the experience was a good one for all of us and I thought they might turn their little noses up to liver. This version was very good, and I might just try to hunt down some chicken livers so I can throw them into the pot next time. It’s also those chicken livers that are said to turn the rice from white to a dirty colour, hence the name.

Ingredients:

2 cups long grain white rice 
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter, plus 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
1 pound Italian sausage, sliced 
1 clove garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped 
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Directions:

1.) Place rice in a saucepan with the chicken stock. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and place over high heat, bring to a boil, then turn heat to low and let cook until all the stock has been absorbed. Then remove lid and fluff with a fork.

2.) While the rice is cooking, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat. When melted and hot, add the onion, celery, and green pepper. Stir to coat everything in the fat, season with a pinch of salt, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add the smoked sausage and stir. Cook for another 10 minutes or so, until the sausage begins to crisp. Add the garlic, cayenne pepper before stirring and cooking for another minute or two.

3.) Add the rice and stir to fully mix all ingredients. Cook everything together for about 5 minutes to marry the flavours.

4.) Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

5.) Serve and enjoy!

The Breakfast Club

Originally published on May 11, 2015

The Breakfast Club was one of my favourite movies growing up. After my sister and I watched it for the thousandth and then the millionth time, we would actually recreate scenes in our living room, pretending to be Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy. This Breakfast Club is a bit different than both the film and our Oscar-worthy recreations, but feel free to recite lines from the movie while you’re assembling this breakfast sandwich. I know I couldn’t help singing “(Don’t You) Forget About Me“.

Ingredients:

  • 3 pieces of rye bread
  • 1 tablespoon of butter
  • 2 eggs
  • 3 slices of bacon
  • 2 thin slices of Cheddar cheese
  • 3 thin slices of tomato
  • Salt
  • Pepper

Directions:

1.) Toast the three slices of rye bread and butter.

2.) Place 3 pieces of bacon in a frying pan set over medium heat and fry until crispy. Then move to paper towels to drain.

3.) Place the frying pan back over medium heat and carefully add them to the pan, leaving whole. You’re going to cook the eggs to over-hard so cook for about 4 minutes on one side, until the bottoms are fully set and the top of the white is just beginning to set. Carefully flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the yolks are fully cooked. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

4.) Assemble the breakfast club. On one piece of rye, butter-side up, place the tomato slices, lightly seasoning them with salt and pepper. Place another piece of rye on top of the tomatoes and then add the cheese, the eggs, and the bacon. Top with the last piece of rye bread, butter-side down.

5.) Cut the sandwich in half, then serve and enjoy!

Candied Pecans

Originally published on May 12, 2015

If candying nuts is something you’ve never done, it’s something I strongly suggest you try. All it takes is three ingredients.

You can use whatever nuts you like best, and then use them to garnish salads, add a little extra sweetness to banana bread, or just put out as a bowl of munchies when entertaining. The only thing that can go wrong here is that the nuts burn, because it can happen extremely quickly. So keep an eye on the pan and make sure you take it off the heat as soon as all of that sugar is melted.

Ingredients:

2 cups pecans, chopped 
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons brown sugar

Directions:

1.) Melt the butter in a frying pan set over medium heat. When fully melted, add the pecans and toss to completely coat in the butter.Stir just until everything in the pan becomes hot.

2.) Add the sugar and stir to distribute throughout the pan. Melt and then stir quickly to make sure the pecans are fully coated in the sugar and butter mixture. Then remove from heat immediately.

3.) Place a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and spread the pecans out in a single layer to cool and let the mixture set.

4.) Serve and enjoy!

White Bean Chicken Chili

Originally published on May 20, 2015

I’ve never been a girly-girl easily grossed out by stuff, especially food stuff. So sticking my hand into a huge bowl of raw meat has never been a big deal. But I will tell you that ground chicken is not like other grounds meats. Unlike beef, and even turkey, ground chicken is not for the faint of heart. It kind of smooshes together and becomes a big glob of raw grossness. It sticks to your hands and kind of plops down into the pot, like little blobs of slimy pink play-dough. It’s not pleasant.

That being said, once it’s in the pot and starts cooking, it does separate and doesn’t have any of that off-putting aroma that some say ground turkey has when it cooks. And when you add all the other ingredients to the pot to make this fantastic chicken chili, well there’s really nothing quite like it. I had never thought that chili was something you could change all that much. But when you use a different kind of meat, stock instead of stewed tomatoes, and add a couple handfuls of fresh greens, you might just end up with my new favourite chili.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds ground chicken 
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons ground cumin 
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 teaspoons chili powder
3 tablespoons flour
2 cans (15 oz.) white kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 bunch baby spinach
2 ears of fresh corn, shucked with kernels removed 
4 cups chicken stock 
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish

Directions:

1.) Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds.

2.) Add the ground chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt, cumin, fennel seeds, oregano, and chilipowder. Cook, stirring frequently to break up the chicken, until the chicken is cooked through, about 8 minutes.

3.) Stir the flour into the chicken mixture. Add the beans, corn, and chicken stock. Bring the mixture up to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan as you do to release brown bits. When boiling turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.

4.) Add the spinach and the red pepper flakes, stir, and continue simmering for another 20 minutes or so, until all the flavours have blended and the spinach has wilted. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary.

5.) Ladle the chili into serving bowls and sprinkle each serving with some Parmesan cheese and chopped parsley.

6.) Serve and enjoy!